Convergence

KOSOVO ASK THE LORD (ATL) MINISTRY, PART 1

The five of us step into an elevator inside of the high-rise building that we now call home. One of us pushes “7”, and the elevator takes off. We walk into our apartment- thinking and taking in the atmosphere of this place- Pristina. A little while later, I open a glass door and find myself on a balcony that overlooks the whole city. 8 floors up, it has been the place where I have been with the Lord and witnessing different things coming together in a “Convergence”.

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As we rode the bus into Kosovo and over the Albanian Alps, we did not know what to expect. We were ready for new beginnings. I thought a lot about the recent stripping away that happened in Albania (see https://bretthaas.theworldrace.org/post/at-the-foot-of-the-cross1) and how this is going to play into my journey going forward. After arriving in Pristina, we spent a couple days adjusting to the new place and getting settled in. Soon after, we ventured out into the city more and more. As ministry begins, we quickly find out that there is a Christian owned coffee shop in the city- Newborn Brew. The Navigators team decides to check this out- and we are immediately welcomed by a very friendly staff and get to meet the owner of the shop- Jordan.

Thus begins a crazy week of ministry and adventure that only God could bring. It turns out that Jordan and many of the people in Pristina are affiliated with an organization called “A Jesus Mission” (AJM- https://ajesusmission.org/). This community generously welcomes our team, and we get to do life with them. We hang out and watch Dune together, take a trip to the Bear Sanctuary (where good conversations are had), and cram 14 people into one car to save on “local transport” (as a treasurer- taxis are money thiefs. I like this a lot!). A lot of our time is spent enjoying the coffee shop, having conversations with the Kosovar Albanian people, and getting to be with the missionaries that are here. 

AJM is building a small missional community in Pristina, and multiple families from America are committing to being part of what God is doing here. It has only been around for a couple months, and we are walking alongside them as they get themselves established to serve in Kosovo for the long term. Overall, AJM is seeking to spread the Gospel and establish a missionary presence- especially in Europe. The days march forward, and I soon found out that AJM is hosting a big gathering of missionaries in Pristina. Flashbacks ensue from when I was praying on the City Stone back in Permet. While in Permet and thinking about Prostina, I got the word “Convergence”. It’s literally the city where things are converging together- as the Lord orchestrates this in a spectacular way.

The theme of “Convergence” continues to play out. In most of our days, I am serving with AJM and my team- and continuing to build relationships at the coffee shop and exploring the city. In the evening, I am often on the balcony of the apartment- praying over very deep topics. Many questions are coming up, such as: (1). How do I carry the vision of Kingdom transformation on the mission field while empathizing and working with the realities and situations that are present [idealism & realism]? (2). How do I approach marriage and relationships in a Biblical lens while deconstructing cultural teachings that have crept up in this area? (3). How are we to have a present minded mindset when doing ministry and serving at the place we are at while also having a healthy view of the future and the past? (4). How do I integrate the calling and purpose that the Lord has been equipping me [exploration] with different types of ministry while loving teammates who have very different goals and passions? (5). And as I look over this city we are at- how do I move forward in mission- knowing that so much changed back home from when I entered Albania to when I left that country last month? 

The scene is set. The skyline of the city greets me from below- wrapping its way around the balcony. It’s this huge city with a great need for the Gospel and where we step out and visit every day. And on this balcony- my emotions run wild and I am real before the Lord. The “whys” and “hows” are questioned, and I also jam out to worship music as well. Yet in the end- the Lord is walking with me through this. And in the end- I am called to trust Him- which greatly encourages me.

The elevator goes down. The appartment buzzer sounds, and we walk into the city once more. After a day at the coffee shop, Jordan takes us to his home for a large gathering and time with the AJM community here. People from all over the United States- plus missionaries from Central Asia and Kosovo have come (with many of which flying across the ocean to get to Pristina). We share our stories about what God has been teaching us in Kosovo- and get to worship and sing together. We are the body of Christ. And the conversations that followed continued to sharpen iron and solidify friendships that were forged in our first week in Kosovo. It warms my heart to gather and be the church in someone’s home- as I stand on the other side of many things and ready to walk forward towards what the Lord has in store.

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Please continue to lift us up in prayer as we serve in our 2nd and 3rd weeks of ministry in Kosovo. Additional blogs to follow up on what is taking place will be posted here soon!

Acts 11: 21-23: “The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of Hod had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.”

See “The Church in Antioch” story- Acts 11: 19-30.